The Conversation
by unluckytalisman
Summary: just a little cuteness about family being more than blood it's a bit ooc(or not...i dunno...my world my rules XD) rated t to be safe(just a bad word...or two)


It was after school. Minato was glancing out of the corner of his eye at his younger child. He was only half listening to angry parent in his office.

It wasn't the first time he had had this conversation, and it wasn't the first time he had this particular family in his office.

He followed his daughter's gaze to the sniveling blonde beside the yelling man.

The young boy was clinging to his mother with one hand and his bandaged shoulder with the other.

"Are you even listening, Minato," the man asked.

"Yes, of course, Fugaku," Minato turned his attention back to Fugaku. "I was just taking in what you said."

"Honestly, I should just have your brat thrown in prison," he glared at the pouting child in the corner. "Do you know how many reports I've gotten from parents today?"

"Father..." Yukio muttered.

"I'm handling this, Yukio," Fugaku said sternly.

"Maybe you should let him talk," Mikoto suggested. "You really didn't let him tell the whole story earlier."

"Yukio," Minato said gently. "What exactly happened?"

"Why don't you ask me?" Shira asked angrily. "Of course the victim's gonna make me look bad." She stuck her middle finger up at the man glaring at her. "These eyes don't scare me, dude."

"Minato-"

"I'll talk to her about that later," Minato promised. "Yukio?"

"Well…" Yukio muttered. "I guess I did kind of provoke her… I… I said something I shouldn't've."

"Damn right you did..." Shira growled.

"Shira," Minato scolded, then looked back at Yukio. "What did you say?"

"I...kinda...said that she wasn't you and Mrs. Kushina's daughter..." he said just above a whisper.

Minato was silent for a moment.

"Daddy?" Shira tilted her head.

Fugaku smirked and turned. "I think you need to have a talk with your child." He said, obviously trying to stir the pot.

"Father?" Yukio asked, confused at the sudden flip in attitude.

"She's been punished enough for now. Come on.'

With them gone, Minato was left alone with Shira. She looked at him, brokenhearted.

He sighed and stood up. "Come on, Shira. We have to talk..."

Minato walked home in silence with Shira. He was lost in thought, and she just didn't know what to say.

When they got home, he told her to go to her room while he talked to Kushina.

She went there, but after a while she walked to her brother's room.

"Naruto…?" she asked quietly from the doorway.

"Oh," he looked up from his book. "You...are you okay?"

"Can I ask you something…?"

"Yeah, anything." He sat up and patted his bed.

She sat down and looked at her lap

"Shira...You're acting weird...What's going on…?"

"...Are we really related?"

He was silent for a moment, then broke out laughing. "What kind of question is that?"

"The kind I need an answer to," she looked at him sadly. "Dad won't say anything… He just sent me to my room..."

"Hmm...Well...Yeah, we are..." Naruto put his hand on her head. "Why'd you even ask something like that anyway?"

Before she could answer, Minato called for both children to come to the living room.

Naruto led Shira downstairs. Minato sat in the chair and Kushina on the couch. Naruto sat beside their mother, and Shira went to do the same, before she was gestured over by Minato. He pulled her into his lap and pulled her to his chest.

"So..?" Naruto asked, confused to why both his parents looked so bothered. When they didn't say anything, he decided to start the conversation. "Shira asked me if we're related… Is that why we're sitting here?"

Kushina nodded. "Yes...Shira… You are my daughter. I'm sure of that."

"So, why did Dad get all quiet when that f-"

"Shira, I've warned you about four letter words," Kushina threw one of the throw pillows at her. "But… I guess we have to tell you..."

"Tell me what?" Shira tilted her head. "If I'm your daughter, what's the problem?"

"Wait… uh..." Naruto began to realize where the conversation was going. "Are Shira and me only half-siblings?"

"You were probably too young to remember..." Kushina answered Naruto first. "But yes… You're only related maternally."

"What does that mean?" Shira looked between her parents, not getting what her mother meant.

"Shira...Half-siblings only share one parent..." Kushina explained. "I'm your mother… But-"

"Dad's not my..." Shira began to tear up as she finally realized what was being explained.

The room was silent for a moment. Naruto was trying to remember what happened seven years ago. Kushina and Minato were just letting the information set in. Shira was stuck holding back tears, an effort that proved fruitless.

"Shira..." Minato finally spoke up. Before he could continued he was silenced by a weak blow to the chest. He didn't react, he just let the repetitive action continue.

"Why..." Shira kept hitting him, though even she knew she could hit much harder. "Why did you lie?!" She eventually just let her arms fall, breaking into fits of sobs. "Why did you just let me think you were my dad?!"

"Shira...You are my child..." He explained gently. "Blood doesn't make family, love does."

"That's just 'Will of Fire' bull..." she whimpered. "That's the same junk you say about the whole village being your family...If it's like that…then why even have me? Or Naruto? Or even Mom?"

"Shira..." he sighed. "I will admit, some of that is true… But..."

"He loves us in a different way," Naruto leaned back. "See...uh… It's like… Uh… Think of it as top tier versus bottom tier-"

"Naruto-" Minato tried to interrupt but Kushina glared, giving him a look saying 'let him talk.'

"As I was saying," Naruto continued. "There's you and me, his kids, we take priority. Then Mom, his wife. Then the village and it's people. It's not that he's loves anyone more or less, I mean, duh, he does, but he can't say that, it's just that...we're all important."

Minato looked at Naruto and shook his head. "Well, I suppose that sort of right..."

"I….I think I get it..." Shira wiped her eyes and leaned against Minato.

"Good," he kissed her head.

She was silent for a minute before looking up at him. "I have a question..."

"What is it?"

"Why on like… my legal papers does it say your my father?"

"Shira...Why do you know what your legal papers say?"

"Not important," she waved the question off. "Just answer."

"Well," he smiled. "It's because I am." He continued as she went to ask another question. "When your mother came back to the village with you, I legally adopted you. So..."

"Wait...so uh… What?"

Naruto broke out laughing. "Wasn't this whole conversation avoidable then?"

Kushina and Minato looked at each other. Kushina laughed along with their son, and Minato smiled and shrugged.

"I suppose..." his smiled turned a bit sad. "It was an inevitable conversation… And with the way things were left in my office…" He shook his head. "Anyway," he looked down at Shira. "You okay?"

"Yep," she jumped off his lap. "All questions were answered, and I have an excuse for when you and the spaz over there are embarrassing me."

Minato chuckled. "I love you too, Shira."

"No mention of love came from me," she started walking off. She stopped dead and pouted when he appeared in front of her. "No fair..." She laughed when he poked her side.

"Admit it," he smiled as she batted his hand away.

"Never."

Naruto grinned and got up. He picked up his sister and held her while her father began tickling her.

"You know how this is gonna end," the younger blonde chuckled.

"Let me go!" she laughed. "Okay! Okay!" She eventually choked out between laughing fits. "I love you!"

"Thank you," Minato smiled and pulled both children into a hug.

Kushina laughed and joined the hug.

Shira's laughter petered out and she just melted into the hug.


End file.
